One-piece multiorifice closure

ABSTRACT

There is a one-piece closure for a dispensing container. The closure has a base and a lid. The base is adapted to be attached to the dispensing container. The base has two or more orifices therein. The two or more orifices of the base each define a different shape. The base has one or more raised portions thereon. The lid is connected to the base via a detachable hinge. The lid has an orifice therein. The lid is rotatably attachable to the base when detached from the base. The orifice of the lid is coextensive and alignable with each of the two or more orifices of the base and the one or more raised portions of the base. The lid is in lockable position with the base when the orifice of the lid is in alignment with one of the raised portions of the base. The closure is in the form of a unitary, integral piece. There is another embodiment for a one-piece closure for a dispensing container.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a closure for a dispensing container.The present invention further relates to a multiorifice closure anddispensing container capable of dispensing product in differentcross-section or profile shapes. The present invention still furtherrelates to a multiorifice closure and dispensing container that ismolded in one-piece or integral form.

2. Description of the Related Art

Dispensing containers are employed commercially to dispense products fora variety of consumer and industrial applications. Such dispensingcontainers typically have a head, a body or receptacle, and a closure.

Multiorifice dispensing containers are sometimes employed so that aproduct can be dispensed in a desired cross-section or profile shape.Conventional closures for multiorifice dispensing containers aretypically made of two primary parts, a base and a lid. The lid istypically positioned on the base and is rotated or dialed to reveal anorifice of desired profile shape through which product is conveyed orsqueezed.

A problem with conventional multiorifice dispensing containers is thatseparate manufacture of the base and the lid is required. This adds costand manufacturing complexity.

It would be desirable to have a dispensing container and closuretherefor wherein separate manufacturing of the base and lid for theclosure is required. It would be desirable to have a dispensingcontainer and closure therefor wherein the base and lid of the closureare manufactured in one piece.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is a one-piece closure for adispensing container. The closure has a base and a lid. The base isadapted to be attached to the dispensing container. The base has two ormore orifices therein and therethrough. The two or more orifices of thebase each define a different shape. The base has one or more raisedportions thereon. The lid is attached to the base via a detachablehinge. The lid has an orifice therein and therethrough. The lid iscircular in shape and rotatably attachable to the base when detachedfrom the base. The orifice of the lid is coextensive and alignable witheach of the two or more orifices of the base and the one or more raisedportions of the base. The lid is in locked position with the base whenthe orifice of the lid is in alignment with one of the raised portionsof the base. The closure is in the form of a unitary, integral piece.

Further according to the present invention, there is another embodimentfor a one-piece closure for a dispensing container. The lid is attachedto the base via a detachable hinge. The lid has an orifice therein andtherethrough. The lid is circular in shape and rotatably attachable tothe base when detached from the base. The orifice of the lid iscoextensive and alignable with each of the two or more orifices of thebase and the one or more raised portions of the base. The lid is inlocked position with the base when the orifice of the lid is inalignment with one of the raised portions of the base. The lid has acover flap integrally connected therewith. The cover flap has a raisedportion on the bottom surface thereof. The raised portion of the coverflap is coextensive and aligned with the orifice of the lid. The coverflap is openable and reclosable to cover the orifice in the lid. Theclosure is in the form of a unitary, integral piece.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an embodiment of a dispensing container according to thepresent invention, wherein the closure is in closure is in detached,two-piece form.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the closure of the container of FIG. 1taken along line 2-2.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the closure of thecontainer of FIG. 1 wherein the lid is positioned to reveal the circularorifice of the base.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the closure of thecontainer of FIG. 1 wherein the lid is positioned to reveal thestar-shaped orifice of the base.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the closure of thecontainer of FIG. 1 wherein the lid is positioned to reveal thecross-shaped orifice of the base.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the closure of thecontainer of FIG. 1 wherein the lid is positioned to reveal theslot-shaped orifice of the base.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the closure of the container of FIG. 1wherein the closure is in open, one-piece form.

FIG. 8 is a partial cutaway view of the closure of the container of FIG.1.

FIG. 9 is a partial cutaway view of the closure of the container of FIG.1.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a dispensingcontainer according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the dispensing container of FIG. 10wherein the cover flap is opened to reveal the orifice.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the closure of the container of FIG. 10wherein the closure is in one-piece form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of a one-piece closure is shown in FIG. 7 and is generallyreference by the numeral 10. FIG. 7 depicts the closure in unitary,integral form in one piece or as a single piece in the form that it ismanufactured. Closure 10 has a base 12 and a lid 14.

Closure 10 is adapted to be connected to a body or receptacle, such as atube 16, as shown in FIG. 1, to form a dispensing container, which isgenerally referenced by the numeral 18. Tube 16 may contain a product(not shown).

Base 12 has orifices 20, 22, 24, and 26 therein and therethrough.Orifices 20, 22, 24, and 26 are distributed circumferentially aroundbase 12. Orifice 20 takes a conventional circular shape. Orifice 22takes a star-like shape. Orifice 24 takes a cross-like shape. Orifice 26takes a slot-like shape. The orifices of various shapes are shown inFIG. 7 in the context of closure 10 and in FIGS. 3 to 6, 8, and 9 in thecontext of dispensing container 18. Product (not shown) can be squeezedthrough an orifice to take the indicated shape. Base 12 defines raisedportions 28, 30, 32, and 34 between orifices 20, 22, 24, and 26. Raisedportions 28, 30, 32, and 34 are distributed circumferentially aroundbase 12.

Lid 14 is connected to base 12 via a detachable hinge 36. Detachablehinge 36 is preferably adapted such that lid 14 can be detached frombase 12 by hand/finger manipulation. Lid 14 has an orifice 38 thereinand therethrough at the bottom of an indentation 44 in lid 14. Lid 14 iscircular in shape. Lid 14 is rotatably attachable to base 12 via post 40when detached (after detachment) from base 12. Post 40 is inserted intoorifice 42 in base 12. After attachment of lid 14 to base 12, orifice 38of lid 14 is coextensive with and aligns with each of orifices 20, 22,24, and 26 and raised portions 28, 30, 32, and 34. When orifice 38 oflid 14 is aligned with any of raised portions 28, 30, 32, and 34, lid 14is in a “locked” position, i.e., a degree of resistance must be overcometo rotate lid 14 to another position. This degree of resistance can beovercome by normal hand/finger manipulation.

Lid 14 has a circumferential plug seal 46 extending from bottom surface48 of lid 14 toward the periphery thereof outside of orifice 38 of lid14. Plug seal 46 enters a circumferential indentation 50 extending intobase 12 toward the periphery thereof when lid 14 is attached to base 12.

Closure 10 optionally has a peel seal foil liner 52 as shown in FIG. 8.Dispensing container 18 also optionally has a liner 54 made of an oxygenbarrier material, such as nylon, also shown in FIG. 8.

Closure 10 is a screw-type closure, although other attachment means,such as a snap bead, are possible. Dispensing container 18 has a neck56, which defines external threads 58. Dispensing container 18 also hasinternal threads 60, which intermate with external threads 58.

FIG. 9 shows a lug 62, which resists clockwise rotation when base 12 isscrewed onto tube 16. Lug 62 also enhances removal (lowers removaltorque) of base 12 during counterclockwise rotation.

Another embodiment of a one-piece closure is shown in FIG. 12 and isgenerally reference by the numeral 80. FIG. 12 depicts the closure inunitary, integral form in one piece or as a single piece in the formthat it is manufactured. Closure 80 has a base 82 and a lid 84.

Closure 80 is adapted to be connected to a body or receptacle, such as atube 86, as shown in FIG. 10, to form a dispensing container, which isgenerally referenced by the numeral 88. Tube 86 may contain a product(not shown).

Base 82 has orifices 90, 92, 94, and 96 therein and therethrough.Orifices 90, 92, 94, and 96 are distributed circumferentially aroundbase 82. Orifice 90 takes a conventional circular shape. Orifice 92takes a star-like shape. Orifice 94 takes a cross-like shape. Orifice 96takes a slot-like shape. The orifices of various shapes are shown inFIG. 12. Product (not shown) can be squeezed through an orifice to takethe indicated shape. Base 82 defines raised portions 98, 100, 102, and104 between orifices 90, 92, 94, and 96. Raised portions 98, 100, 102,and 104 are distributed circumferentially around base 82.

Lid 84 is connected to base 82 via a detachable hinge 106. Detachablehinge 106 is preferably adapted such that lid 84 can be detached frombase 82 by hand/finger manipulation. Lid 84 has an orifice 108 thereinand therethrough. Lid 84 is circular in shape. Lid 84 is rotatablyattachable to base 82 via a post 110 when detached (after detachment)from base 82 at hinge 106. Detachment at hinge 106 is necessary sincelid 84 cannot rotate on base 12 otherwise. Post 110 is inserted intoorifice 112 in base 82. After attachment of lid 84 to base 82, orifice108 of lid 84 is coextensive with and aligns with each of orifices 90,92, 94, and 96 and raised portions 98, 100, 102, and 104 depending onthe positioning of lid 84. When orifice 108 of lid 84 is rotated andaligned with any of raised portions 98, 100, 102, and 104, lid 84 is ina “locked” position, i.e., a degree of resistance must be overcome torotate lid 84 to another position. This degree of resistance can beovercome by normal hand/finger manipulation.

Lid 84 has a circumferential plug seal 116 extending from bottom surface118 of lid 84 toward the periphery thereof outside of orifice 108 of lid84. Plug seal 116 enters a circumferential indentation 120 extendinginto base 82 toward the periphery thereof when lid 84 is attached tobase 82.

Closure 80 is a screw-type closure, although other attachment means,such as a snap bead(s), are possible.

Lid 84 has a cover flap 122 integrally and actuateably connectedtherewith as shown in FIG. 11. Cover flap 122 has a raised portion 124on a bottom surface 126 thereof. Raised portion 124 is coextensive andaligned with orifice 108 of lid 84. Cover flap 122 is openable andreclosable to cover orifice 108 in lid 84 as shown in FIG. 10. Closure80 is in the form of a unitary, integral piece.

The one-piece multiorifice closure of the present invention may bemanufactured by any means known in the art, such as by injection moldingcompression molding or stamping with a plastic material. Injectionmolding is preferred.

The body or receptacle of the dispensing container may take any form orshape known in the art, such as a bottle or a tube. A preferred body orreceptacle is a tube.

Plastic tube dispensing containers may be produced by any method knownin the art, such as extrusion or lamination. In extrusion, plastic tubesare extruded continuously, then cut into discrete lengths to formtubular body walls for the inner and outer containers. Heads are thenheat welded or adhered to the tube lengths to form dispensingcontainers. Closures are applied to the heads to form packages. The openends of packages are typically filled with product to be dispensed andthen sealed by heat or mechanical means. A preferred means of sealingmay be carried out by overlapping the open ends and following with heatsealing. In lamination, sheets of plastic material are rolled into tubesand sealed along the sheet edges to form continuous tubes. Thecontinuous tubes are cut into discrete tube lengths and furtherprocessed in the same manner as described above for extruded dispensingcontainers. Heads may be manufactured according to any method known inthe art such as injection molding, compression molding or stamping witha plastic material. Injection molding is preferred.

Dispensing containers may be manufactured from any plastic materialknown in the art. Representative plastic materials include ethylenepolymers, propylene polymers, polyesters, and polyamides. Usefulethylene polymers include low density polyethylene, medium densitypolyethylene, high density polyethylene and linear low densitypolyethylene. A useful propylene polymer is polypropylene. Usefulpolyesters include polyethylene terephthalate. Preferred plasticmaterials are low density polyethylene and polypropylene. Differentparts of the package may be manufactured from the same or differentmaterials. A preferred plastic material for tube body walls is lowdensity polyethylene. Preferred plastic materials for heads and closuresare high density polyethylene and polypropylene.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the present invention. Various alternatives andmodifications can be devised by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention isintended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variancesthat fall within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A one-piece closure for a dispensing container, comprising: a base,the base being adapted to be attached to the dispensing container, thebase having two or more orifices therein, the two or more orifices ofthe base each defining a different shape, the base having one or moreraised portions thereon; a lid, the lid being attached to the base via adetachable hinge, the lid having an orifice therein, the lid beingrotatably attachable to the base when detached from the base, theorifice of the lid being coextensive and alignable with each of the twoor more orifices of the base and the one or more raised portions of thebase, the lid being in lockable position with the base when the orificeof the lid is in alignment with one of the raised portions of the base,the closure being in the form of a unitary, integral piece.
 2. Thedispensing container of claim 1, wherein the base has four orificestherein.
 3. The dispensing container of claim 2, wherein the fourorifices are distributed circumferentially around the base.
 4. Thedispensing container of claim 3, wherein the base has four raisedportions, and wherein the raised portions are distributedcircumferentially around the base between the orifices.
 5. Thedispensing container of claim 1, wherein the lid is rotatably attachableto the base via a post extending from the center of the bottom surfaceof the lid.
 6. The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein there is asingle orifice in the lid.
 7. The dispensing container of claim 4,wherein the lid is rotatably attachable to the base via a post extendingfrom the center of the bottom surface of the lid.
 8. The dispensingcontainer of claim 7, wherein there is a single orifice in the lid. 9.The dispensing container of claim 1, wherein the orifice in the lid issituated at the bottom of an indentation in the lid.
 10. The dispensingcontainer of claim 1, wherein the lid has a circumferential plug sealextending from the bottom surface of the lid at the periphery thereofoutside of the orifice of the lid, and wherein the plug seal enters acircumferential indentation extending into the base at the peripherythereof when the lid is attached to the base.
 11. A one-piece closurefor a dispensing container, comprising: a base, the base being adaptedto be attached to the dispensing container, the base having two or moreorifices therein, the two or more orifices of the base each defining adifferent shape, the base having one or more raised portions thereon; alid, the lid being attached to the base via a detachable hinge, the lidhaving an orifice therein, the lid being rotatably attachable to thebase when detached from the base, the orifice of the lid beingcoextensive and alignable with each of the two or more orifices of thebase and the one or more raised portions of the base, the lid being inlockable position with the base when the orifice of the lid is inalignment with one of the raised portions of the base, the lid having anactuating cover flap integral therewith, the cover flap having a bottomsurface, the cover flap having a raised portion on the bottom surfacethereof, the raised portion of the cover flap being coextensive andalignable with the orifice of the lid, the cover flap being openable andreclosable to cover the orifice in the lid, the closure being in theform of a unitary, integral piece.
 12. The dispensing container of claim11, wherein the base has four orifices therein.
 13. The dispensingcontainer of claim 12, wherein the four orifices are distributedcircumferentially around the base.
 14. The dispensing container of claim13, wherein the base has four raised portions, and wherein the raisedportions are distributed circumferentially around the base between theorifices.
 15. The dispensing container of claim 11, wherein the lid isrotatably attachable to the base via a post extending from the center ofthe bottom surface of the lid.
 16. The dispensing container of claim 11,wherein there is a single orifice in the lid.
 17. The dispensingcontainer of claim 14, wherein the lid is rotatably attachable to thebase via a post extending from the center of the bottom surface of thelid.
 18. The dispensing container of claim 17, wherein there is a singleorifice in the lid.